Monkey Face, Escalade traditionnelle

Carte

1 2 3 5 4 7 6 8 9 10 11 12 14 17 16

1 Practice Area 2 Lookout Area 3 Turkey Walls 4 Central Gully 5 Big Banana Buttress & The Extremes 6 Stopper Walls 7 Smear Slabs 8 Space Ape Area 9 The Ramparts 10 Ground Fall Gully 11 Lower Crag 12 Middle Crag 14 The Wild West 16 The Ridge 17 South Face

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Résumé

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One of the largest crags in the Hunter region, Monkey Face has a good collection of short crack lines and sport climbing.

Description

Classic crack lines, such as Chutney (12), Bereska (19), Joes Climb (21) and Profanity (21) can be found near the access gully, Many other easier cracks abound, often short with excellent gear for the learning leader. Many mixed and sport routes have also been bolted, however bolting may be sparse or on carrots, so use your judgement and you can find plenty of excellent climbing here.

Limit. de l'accès

Access to the crag is an easy 10min walk. The lower road, Bangalow Rd, has reopened in 2023 after several years of closure. However the climbers access track is closed after fires in late 2023. Therefore only access is from top again ( see paragraph below about access via Monkeyface Rd) . Park at Bangalow Campground/ day use area and walk up the hill, meeting the routes of So and Feeling the Pinch at Lower Crag. Go left from here to Turkey Walls, Big Banana Buttress and Smear Slabs. go right to access middle crag.

Alternatively the crag can be accessed from above via Monkeyface Rd. From the first top car park head south around large boulders before descending steeply to the top of Big Banana. Go climbers left to descend Central Gully. Rain in 2023 has dislodged several large blocks at the base of the gully and there may be a rickety wooden ladder. Fire has destroyed a lot of ground vegetation increasing rock fall and erosion risk, so be careful.

The walkway wooden retainers and steps have been burnt, although the track is still negotiable. Check the NPWS website for closures as contractors will be working in the area and it will be closed at times during 2024.

In case of emergency, reception is poor at the base of the cliff, but reliable on top of big banana buttress.

Approche

5-10 minutes

Enter the Watagans via Mt Faulk Rd, north from Cooranbong, travelling past the Awaba Mountain bike park. Continue on all weather gravel roads up the hill.

Take Bangalow Rd on the left for access to the base of the crag.

Five minutes drive further on is Monkey Face Rd which gives access to the top of the crag. until the first obvious parking on your right.

Où dormir

There is camping at Bangalow camp ground at the start of the walk to the crag and at Gap Creek Falls campground. These include toilets, tank water, BBQ's and shelters. Bookings are needed in advance and you will be competing with mountain bikers on weekends. The nearby Olney state forest has several other options including facilities at the Pines campground and Forest Headquarters campground. The reception at the base of the cliff and lower access is non existent.

Éthique

Trad and mixed routes abound here with the occasional sport route. A number of routes are readily accessed to set up top ropes. As an older crag, the grades may feel quite stiff, so take this into account. The crag is within a national park, so no dogs, no smoking and use the toilets if you need to go.

Historique

Graphique de l'historique des voies

Climbing began in the late 1970s via the Newcastle Bushwalking Club. In 1978 Joe Friend put up the hardest route in the Hunter at the time, Joes Climb(21). The first 22 in the Hunter was Space Ape, Progressive Taxation the first 23 and Quasimodo the first 24. Try and tick these routes in a day, and throw in Bereska and Profanity for good measure!